Steam-engine valve



(No Model.)

- G. A. GRAY, J1.

STEAM ENGINE VALVE.

Patented Oct. 11,1881.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR I A TTORINEY awwm mm s Phnm-Liuw n mr. WaLhin ton.O. c.

UNIT D STATES.

1 PATENT O FICE.

GEORGE A. GRAY, JR, OF. OOVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

STEAM-ENGINE VAL'VE.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,036, dated October11, 1881.

Applicationfiled July: 23, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. GRAY, J r., ofOovingtomKenton county, Kentucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Steam-Engine Valves, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention pertains to rotary valves, and relates to a novel methodof reducing friction of movement in valves, and to a novel regulating orgoverning attachment.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a cylinder andvalve-seat. Fig. 2, a side elevation of same with steam-cl1est insection and valve in position Fig. 3, an elevation of valve; Fig. 4, averticalsection of valve, and Fig. 5 an elevation of valve-seat withsteam-chestand valve in section upon line X.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the cylinder of an ordinary steam-engine.

B is a valve-seat fitted for a rotary valve.

J is the steam-chest, bolted to the seat, as usual. The steam-chest hasno inlet or outlet save through the valve-seat.

E E are ports leading to ends of cylinder, as usual.

F is the exhaust-port communicating with exhaust-outlet G.

D is the live-steam inlet'port in the valveseat, communicating with thesteamway O.

H is a rotary or revolving valve arranged to revolve on the seat B andoperate on the ports therein. The valve is to be rotated or revolved byany means adapted to the purpose, and should be revolved continuously inone direction. The function of the valve H is to admit steam to theinterior steam-chest through inlet-port D at proper times, to cut offsaid admission at proper times, so that no unneeded live steam remainsin the chest to exert a pressure on the back of the valve, to admitsteam from the steam-chest to the cylinder, and to permit steam toexhaust from the cylinder to the atmosphere. The valve H is a diskadapted to cover'allthe ports in-the seat B.

L L are gaps in the valve, which twice during each revolution of thevalve will uncover the inlet port l) and admit steam to the steamchest.The gaps L are so located and proportioned with referenceto the otherfeatures that when a supply of steam is needed in the chest it will beadmitted, and when not needed the chest will be cut off from alllive-steam supply.

inlet-port D. No provision is made for letting V steam out of thesepockets, the purpose being to entrap steam in them, so as to exert anoutward pressure and reduce the friction, at the same time lubricatingthe surfaces with steam. The steam does not seem to condense in thepockets, but rather to become superheated by friction and retain itsfull pressure. The pockets U, instead of taking live steam direct fromthe inlet-port D, may obviously be arranged to move over a special porthaving a live-steam communication.

K is a mortise through the valve, so located and proportioned that atproper times and during proper intervals it will in the rotation of thevalve place the steam-chest in communication with the cylinder-ports EE. The entrygaps L in the valve are to provide asupply in thesteam-chest whenever it is required that steam should pass throughmortise K to the cylinder. 7 5

T is the exhaust-pocket in the valve. Itis always in communication withthe exhaustport F in the seat, and is arranged, as usual, to communicatewith the cylinder-ports E E alternately. When the valve is in theposition shown in Fig. 5 the upper gap, L, has abouthalf opened theinlet-port D, thus admitting live steam to the steam-chest, one of thepockets U is receiving steam from the inlet-port D, the uppercylinder-port is half-open and is receiving steam from the steam-chestthrough mortise K, and the lower cylinderport is placed in freecommunication with exhaust-port F by the exhaust-pocket T.

' On the back of the valve 1 mount centrifugal valves M. Only one isneeded, but two are used to produce an equilibrium of weights.Centrifugal force throws these valves outward Y and afiects in a greateror less degree the area of the admission-mortise K. This constitutes theengine-governor. The yoke Q, swiveled on the central stud, S, has a slotat each end. The slots engage with studs P on the valvearms 0, and theyoke thus. serves to equalize themotionofthetwovalves. ThespiralspringR, attached to the studs P, furnishes the centripetal force. Other formsof centripetal springs may be used, and other devices for equalizing themotion of the two valves will suggest themselves. The valves pivot onthe bolts N, and the whole arrangement is simple, substantial, andeffective.

The same general plan of attaching centrifugal valves to the back of themain valve of the engine, where the said valves may operate directly onthe main admission-mortise, may obviously be carried out by means ofvalves fitted to slide radially instead of being pivoted, as shown; butthe general arrangement as I have shown it will be found simple andeffective.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a steam-enginevalve,thecombination, witha valve-seat having a port for the admission of steam to the steam-chestfrom the boiler, one or more ports for the passage of steam from thesteam-chest to the cylinder, and one or more ports for the passage ofsteam from the cylinder to the atmosphere, of a main valve adapted tooperate upon said seat and effect the proper opening and closing of allsaid ports, substantially as set forth, for the purpose of preventingthe accumulation of highpressure steam in the steam-chest.

2. In combination with a steam-en gine valveseat having one or moreports for the passage of steam from the steam-chest to the cylinder, oneor more ports for the passage of steam 0 from the cylinder to theatmosphere, and a port in communication with a reservoir of steam, of avalve adapted to operate upon said seat, and provided with a pocket forplacing said ports for the passage of steam to the cylinder and saidport for the passage of steam to the atmosphere in communication, andone or more additional pockets in its face adapted to work over saidport communicating with a reservoir of steam, substantially as setforth, for the purpose of cntrapping high-pressure steam under the faceof the valve.

3. The combination, with a rotary. main valve having a port or mortisefor allowing the passage of steam to the cylinder ends, of a centrifugalvalve adapted to control the area ofsaid port or mortise, and acentripetal spring, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a rotary valve and a steam port or mortise, ofa centrifugal valve pivoted to said rotary valve, and adapted to varythe areau of said port or mortise, and a centripetal spring,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with two pivoted levers or arms, of anequalizing-yoke connected with saidlevers or arms, and a centralpivotfor the yoke, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE A. GRAY, J R.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. SEE, L. P. CLAWSON.

